Did Guru Nanak Dev visit Istanbul in Turkey? Maybe yes, going by what Sikh scholar Dr Davinder Singh Chahal, who is recently living in Montreal (Canada), has to say.

Until now, there was a Sikh shrine in Baghdad to suggest that the Guru visited as far as Iraq during the fourth udasi (missionary journey). Dr Davinder Singh Chahal had visited Istanbul in 1994 and saw a pillar 15 feet high and 6 feet wide in a park which had script in Arabic and Turkish language containing reference of Guru Nanak in its first line. He could not figure it out that time. This year when he visited Pakistan, he succeeded in decoding the pillar script with the help of two Pakistani scholars Iqbal Kaisar and Syad Afzal Hydar.

To do systematic research of the evidence, Dr Chahal is trying to get help from the archaeology department of Turkey. He has established contact with the Turkish ambassador in Canada for this project which would cost around $ 50,000. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), on its part, is ready to extend a helping hand for the project.

SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar told TOI on Saturday they would soon send a team of experts to Istanbul to collect the proof. If it is proved that Guru Nanak had visited Turkey, then it would authenticate some Janamsakhis which claimed that after Mecca, the Sikh guru visited Egypt and then from Kahira, he went to Palestine, Syria and Turkey from where he returned to Punjab via Baghdad, added Makkar.

He said SGPC would contact Turkey's ambassador in India with a request to help in this regard.

“The most important achievement is that I was able to decipher the writings on a big stone plaque (10 ft high and 4 feet wide) installed in a park on the sea shore of Istanbul, Turkey. Mr Iqbal Qaiser, the author of the Sikh Shrines in Pakistan and Mr Syed Afzal Haider, Senior Advocate Supreme Court of Pakistan and the author of a book, Baba Nanak, helped me to decipher the writing which indicated that it is definitely connected with Guru Nanak. It is surprising that a plaque with writings about Guru Nanak is installed in Istanbul. We are visualizing that Guru Nanak's travel could be extended to Turkey after his visit to Mecca and Medina before coming back to India via Baghdad. Our further research for deciphering the whole writing is going on.”
Gur Kirpal Singh Ashk

Since Guru Nanak Dev Ji visited the major centers of Hinduism - Varanasi, Rishkesh, Hardwar and Islam - Baghdad, Mecca and Medina it seems quite logical that Guru Nanak Dev Ji would have visited the center of Christianity. Since there is now tantalizing evidence that Guru Sahib Ji traveled as far west as Turkey then Rome is but a step away.

Although there is no evidence of this (research is there to be had for any intrepid Sikh) I did once hear that deep in the vaults of the Vatican there are records from the middle ages of a great spiritual man from the east with his companion coming to Rome and having discourse with church officials.

"I did once hear that deep in the vaults of the Vatican there are records from the middle ages of a great spiritual man from the east with his companion coming to Rome and having discourse with church officials."

Veer Ji, could you please give us the source for this theory. it certainly is interesting. I personally believe the Vaitcan Library is an historical Alladins Cave - as the historical records kept are of all known instances (international and non-Chrisitan).

Re: 1st Mehl Sahib travelled to Turkey...?

Posted by: Anonymous User (IP Logged)

Date: July 18, 2008 07:05AM

Gurfateh

Well if Guru visits Jerusalam,then that is going to be the centre of Christianity also.As he visited Iraq and Iran,they are places mentioned in holy Bible and have native Christian populations also.

We have to think Christian more an eastern faith sorry there is no direaction in faith but Christians in Arebia or India are no where less Christians then say the one in Rome or futher ahead.We have Orthodx churches with many things similar to us.

But coming to the point.Guru's visit to far off area has one mative.Not to have dialogue with them but to preach them our faith.So Sikh preacher have to set up missions to preach faith in foregn nations,that is the true respect to Guru,to make his work progerss,let us share our faith with rest of the mankind and bring more people on the path Guru treveled,Let mote people have form of Tenth Nanak ie Khalsa.

Unlike Mohamad,Chrristo or Ram by name only in other faiths follower,as a Khalsa,we actualy become Guru roop or succsessor of the throne of First Master.Akal Bless.

we do not even know much about Guru Nanaks visits within India yet people are amazed by his visits to far off places. why is his visiting western places anymore interesting then him visiting Puri or South India? answer me honestly.

again vijaydeep promoting his filthy worldview. if Guru Nanak was out on some missionary motive why did he dress like others and accept their names for him yet didnt leave any converts? he went out in compassion to meet the devotees- regardless of religion- who were longing for God. this is mentioned in sidh gosat.

so many preachers, so few capable of preaching. you need to learn something before you can preach it. after learning the question is what is there to preach?

also i do not think we should use this space to do nindak of other people and their religions.

Re: 1st Mehl Sahib travelled to Turkey...?

Posted by: Anonymous User (IP Logged)

Date: July 19, 2008 10:56PM

Gurfateh

Bhai Navjot Ji,

Well filthy things could be expected from das as das deeply feels that panth belongs to those class of people,who were forced to be a scvanger or pariah for a good lot of the time.

Weather das puts you in the categorisation of Sikhs anti to preaching faith to others or not will be decided later after he reads more of your writing.

As far as concept of Sikhism is concerned there are bunch of comredi(leftist) guys in the grab of Sikhs,who actualy do not know the faith and try thier level best to tell faith fulls that faithfulls are misguided and they guide us deep into anti faith.

Anyway das has target on them only.Kindly read the lines carefully that das jst wanted to elaborate that even in Iraq and Iran First Master had to have a contact with christians also as they are in good number in middle east also.There was no slander.

Then about converts.out side Punjab
1.As per holy man from Kadiyani (a sort of heretics in Islam) First Master made 2 crore(1 crore=1,00,00,000) convertees(not all Punjab was Sikh in his time of going back to Akal).
2.Tibbetiens consider him reincarnation of MahaPadma Sambhav(Mahayan Budhism came there by MahaPadma Sambhav).
3.In Deccan,Bihar and Gujrat Nanak Panthis and Sangats were there since the visit of First Master(Das again read it from a book let issued by Sikh Missioanry collage regarding Gurudwar reform).
4.As per Gurubani is Jag Mein Chanan monthly,There are a class of person called Sipleeds in Area around Baghdad,who are the followes of First Master.A few years before,a person returing from Iraq reaffirmed that sipleeds even carry out Langer as we do.
5.As Khalsa with 5 Ks did not exists in his time and perhaps our nt reaching to those Sikhs as yet makes us belive that they do not exists.

Sorry for misunderstanding.

Re: 1st Mehl Sahib travelled to Turkey...?

Posted by: Anonymous User (IP Logged)

Date: July 20, 2008 05:12AM

those buddhist remained buddhists and those muslims remained muslims. they understood Nanak WITHIN their own framework. how can this be described as converting people.

look at Gautama Buddha is understood as an incarnation of Vishnu by Vaishnavas. That does not mean they consider themselves Buddhist. they understand in their own framework.

Re: 1st Mehl Sahib travelled to Turkey...?

Posted by: Anonymous User (IP Logged)

Date: July 23, 2008 02:26AM

Gurfateh

OK Agreed sir,

Das got delayed to recoganses you.Muslims became true Muslims.As per das Panth is true Islam.Akal Bless.Conversion means from bigot fundamentalits to spritualists.From idealogist to one with universal faith.Das is realy filthy.